Trip Reports - Foster Falls, Tennessee
May 27, 2001

The Spell is broken!

I finally get to climb at Foster Falls this weekend
- by Wayne Busch

This barely rates being called a report - a couple of quick climbs on Sunday afternoon. But it is a significant personal event. It breaks the longest dry spell I've had since I started climbing, six full months.

Jackie and I were invited to spend Memorial Day weekend with friends in Beersheba Springs, Tennessee. It's located about half way between Nashville and Chattanooga. Long ago, it was a popular stopping off point on the stage line between the two cities. In 1837 or thereabouts, one of America's earliest planned resort communities was developed. The homes have been passed down through generations and have long family histories associated with them. The community sits atop a ridge bordering Savage Gulf.

Nearby Stone Door State Park offers visitors sweeping views of Savage Gulf, an enormous canyon cut into the plateau, and a chance to enter the gorge below via the Stone Door. This steep and narrow chasm provides a stairway from the top of the cliff line to the base of the rocks and into the valley below. Jackie and I have done some climbing here, and plan to return. But this time I was satisfied to just pay a quick visit and scope out some new lines.

Sunday, while other friends went to visit waterfalls, or go canoeing, Jackie and I drove over to Foster Falls. We got a late start, and wanted to be back in time for cocktail hour, so time was limited.  I decided to go light a fast - a handful of quickdraws, a couple of slings, a rope, and a bottle of water stuffed easily into my pack and we descended the trail to the base of the cliffs. Being a beautiful day on a holiday weekend, there were already ropes on most of the popular climbs as we walked the cliff line in the cool shade of the dense trees.

We passed many familiar climbs along the way as we continued looking for an unclaimed route, but found nothing until I rounded a corner near the Sanford Wall. Sport Puppy 5.9 was deserted. I knew this climb, a blocky route up to two solid chain anchors atop the cliff line about 50 feet above. Jackie checked the guidebook, it should have four bolts. I could see one, I assumed the others were just out of view, hidden by the rugged features above. I was just about to leave the ground when a passerby looked at my gear and commented,

"You know, they chopped the bolts on this route don't you? The only one left is the one you can see. It protects with gear and somebody has decided that's how it should be climbed."

I thanked him for the warning, and moved on. It would have been quite interesting when I'd found myself 30 feet up the route, still 10 feet out from the bolt, wondering how I could have missed the damn bolts on the way up.

The next closest climb is Gray Matter 5.9 at the end of the Sanford Wall. We moved down and I led the route and rigged it for Jackie. It follows the arête to a couple of chains about 50 feet up the wall. Any concern I'd lost my feel for the rock was eliminated with that first move of the climb. The route is a little "pumpy", but the holds are good and it's worth a run up it if you see it open.

We packed up the gear, and continued our hike with much the same success as before. Rounding the corner on the Therapy Wall we ran into a few locals who had ropes on Therapist 5.9 and Rolfed 5.9+. Fortunately, they were just leaving, and even offered me a ride on one of their ropes before they pulled them. Such hospitality! I took a quick spin up Therapist, one of the best climbs at Foster Falls. Don't miss it. Once they'd left, Jackie wanted a go at it, so I climbed the route again and rigged it for her.

The pull of the porch started drawing us back along the trail to the car. Every route we knew was tended by small groups of climbers We did get to witness a nice climb of Darkie the Bum Beast 5.12d by Jason Young. The severely overhung route climbs out of an enormous cave, a real test of strength. Impressive!

We returned to Beersheba and the comforts of home, sipping and rocking well into the evening. My dry spell is broken. Climb on!

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